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The Vice Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Education, Senator Sola
Adeyeye yesterday described as
‘ridiculous’ the pay demands by the
Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU) on the federal government.
This is just as he challenged lecturers to a
public debate to justify the unresolved
pay demands which has led to the
protracted strike by university lecturers.
Adeyeye who is a Professor of Molecular
Biology made the comment to newsmen
at the National Assembly against the
backdrop of last week’s Senate debates on
the protracted ASUU strike.
On account of his contributions at
plenary, Adeyeye was particularly
criticised by the ASUU chairman,
University of Ibadan branch, Dr. Segun
Ajiboye.
“There is no question that the enormous
rot in Nigeria’s education sector cries for
urgent and immediate attention.
But as unpopular as saying so might make
me to the membership of ASUU, the truth
is that ASUU has been a part of the
problem.
I would gladly love to engage Dr. Ajiboye
in a prime time televised debate on my
assertion,” Adeyeye stated yesterday.
The senator proposed five practical
solutions to this “most national pressing
crisis’: firstly, the National Assembly
should henceforth appropriate at least 26
per cent of Nigeria’s current revenue to
education alone.
Second, the education ministry must
ensure the streamlining of the “endless
parastatals that drain resources while
making little or no contribution to
national well-being and progress.”
Thirdly, the government in a bid to raise
revenue for funding a “national
redemption programme” in education, all
imports should attract a mandatory
education tax of one per cent.
Fourth, beginning from January 1, 2014
till December 31, 2018, all workers in
Nigeria must contribute five per cent of
their income as education taxes.
Embezzling any amount of these revenues
targeted for education should be taken as
an act of treason.
Fifth, the costs for running the offices of
all elected and appointed political office
holders should immediately be pruned by
50 per cent.
According to Adeyeye, the “implacable”
demands by ASUU are fueled by
resentment at the “obscene” privileges
which Nigerian politicians enjoy.
Adeyeye tagged the Subsidy Reinvestment
Programme (SURE-P) a “conduit”
exploited by the government for corrupt
enrichment and called for its scrapping
and the diversion of SURE-P revenue to
the education sector.
The Vice Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Education, Senator Sola
Adeyeye yesterday described as
‘ridiculous’ the pay demands by the
Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU) on the federal government.
This is just as he challenged lecturers to a
public debate to justify the unresolved
pay demands which has led to the
protracted strike by university lecturers.
Adeyeye who is a Professor of Molecular
Biology made the comment to newsmen
at the National Assembly against the
backdrop of last week’s Senate debates on
the protracted ASUU strike.
On account of his contributions at
plenary, Adeyeye was particularly
criticised by the ASUU chairman,
University of Ibadan branch, Dr. Segun
Ajiboye.
“There is no question that the enormous
rot in Nigeria’s education sector cries for
urgent and immediate attention.
But as unpopular as saying so might make
me to the membership of ASUU, the truth
is that ASUU has been a part of the
problem.
I would gladly love to engage Dr. Ajiboye
in a prime time televised debate on my
assertion,” Adeyeye stated yesterday.
The senator proposed five practical
solutions to this “most national pressing
crisis’: firstly, the National Assembly
should henceforth appropriate at least 26
per cent of Nigeria’s current revenue to
education alone.
Second, the education ministry must
ensure the streamlining of the “endless
parastatals that drain resources while
making little or no contribution to
national well-being and progress.”
Thirdly, the government in a bid to raise
revenue for funding a “national
redemption programme” in education, all
imports should attract a mandatory
education tax of one per cent.
Fourth, beginning from January 1, 2014
till December 31, 2018, all workers in
Nigeria must contribute five per cent of
their income as education taxes.
Embezzling any amount of these revenues
targeted for education should be taken as
an act of treason.
Fifth, the costs for running the offices of
all elected and appointed political office
holders should immediately be pruned by
50 per cent.
According to Adeyeye, the “implacable”
demands by ASUU are fueled by
resentment at the “obscene” privileges
which Nigerian politicians enjoy.
Adeyeye tagged the Subsidy Reinvestment
Programme (SURE-P) a “conduit”
exploited by the government for corrupt
enrichment and called for its scrapping
and the diversion of SURE-P revenue to
the education sector.
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